He was born in the manse at
Killin in
Perthshire on 28 November 1806 the son of Janet Campbell and Rev Hugh MacDougall. His father died while Patrick was young and he was sent to
Edinburgh to live with relatives. He was sent to
Edinburgh High School for education and was school dux in 1822. He then studied humanities, Greek and logic at the
University of Edinburgh. He became Classics master at
Edinburgh Academy 1833-44. Only in 1835 does he appear as a "student of divinity" living at 17 Cheyne Street in
Stockbridge, Edinburgh. In 1840 he appears as P C MacDougall Esq living at 6 West Claremont Street. In 1844 he was appointed Professor of Moral Philosophy at
New College, Edinburgh, training ministers for the Free Church of Scotland. In 1850 he replaced
Professor John Wilson as Professor of Moral Philosophy at the
University of Edinburgh. He then moved to a large townhouse at 38 Great King Street in
Edinburgh's New Town. His appointment was made by the town council. For various reasons he did not actively take the Chair until 1853. He was the first Convenor of the Free Church's "Widows and Orphans Fund". In 1860 he was elected a Fellow of the
Royal Society of Edinburgh his proposer being
James Young Simpson. He died at his home 9 Buckingham Terrace on 30 December 1867 and is buried in
Dean Cemetery. The obelisk marking the grave lies in a group of similar monuments on the main south path, opposite the smaller south sections. ==Family==